By Samindra Kunti
June 23 – In perhaps the biggest European-focussed step by China’s football sector to date, next season could see China’s national U20’s team play in the German fourth division.
“All 19 clubs have signalled their consent that the Chinese will take part. I therefore believe that the project is on a good path,” said league executive Felix Wiedemann.
DFB vice-president Ronny Zimmermann also confirmed to German magazine Kicker that the clubs ‘have received the idea favourably.’
“The planned cooperation with China is public, and we of course need good content for it,” Zimmerman added. “We need to see if the idea turns into reality. The managers of the southwest division will meet soon and we’d need to have a decision by then because that’s when we agree the fixture list.”
In 2016, Germany and China sighed signed a “comprehensive agreement at government level” to boost the development of the game in China, with agreements also struck between the DFB, the German Football League (DFL), the Chinese Ministry of Education and the Chinese Football Association CFA. Germany’s regional southwest league has only 19 teams, the addition of the Chinese would make it a 20 team league.
The clubs will receive €15,000 each for the two matches against their Chinese opponents. The China U20 will play in the regular fixture list, but the results from their matches won’t be included in the league table.
In the past China has explored similar avenue in other sports, with ice hockey side Kunlun Red Star joining the Canadian Women’s Hockey League in the build-up to the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing.
China has its ambition set on becoming a new superpower in the global game by 2050 and this move may allow the country to prepare in earnest for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games.
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